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Thursday, May 12, 2011

18 Months

Dear Delilah,

As of yesterday, you are 18 months old. A year and a half. Yesterday marked milestones that go beyond age. If my internetting is accurate, it means you're officially a toddler now; though you will always be my precious little baby. It also marked a full year of eating "real food". It's hard to believe it's been a year since you had your first bites of banana and avocado, both of which are still two of your favorite foods!

Yes, you handled a spoon like a pro on your very first try, you special snowflake, you.

This milestone also meant that you finally fit into this adorable jumper that my grandmother sent while I was pregnant with you:

Unfortunately, this milestone has not magically made you tolerate actually wearing sunglasses for more than half a second. We'll have to keep working on that one.

At 18 months old, you are capable of walking, but still mostly prefer to scoot around on your bottom. The maneuver you use to drop to your butt has gotten much more graceful, however. You greet the pets every morning by barking at the dog (oof oof oof!) and meowing at the cats (ooooow oooooow). You are still nursing, but not nearly as much as you were even a month ago. Your molars are coming in, and while you have your moments, you are handling it with ease.

You are confident and secure with new people, new situations, and crowds. You are outgoing, dainty, curious, and adorable. You've developed a tendency to "talk with your hands" when you babble, making sweeping exaggerated gestures as you blab on and on. I have no idea where you picked up that particular quirk, but it sends me into fits of laughter every time.

Your vocabulary seems to grow by the day. Rather than encouraging you to repeat our words, the challenge is now to listen carefully to yours to figure out what you're saying. "Teet" seems to mean either "eat" or "treat", "feet" means, well, feet, but also seems to mean "shoes". "Hat" means both "hat" and "head". "Hot" refers to any liquid in a drinking receptacle other than your little straw cup. I could go on and on, but suffice to say, you are a wordy one, just like your mama.

At times, it feels like an eternity since you were a brand new baby, and at times, it feels like yesterday. You are more precious to me than I have words to express. I am brought to tears of joy and gratitude daily by the blessing of having you in my life. You have already taught me at least as much as I've taught you, and I look forward to all the lessons we have in store for each other over the years.

Love,

Mama

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